A RED OVERLAY ON WHITE GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE

of flattened rounded form, overlaid in red on an opaque white ground, very finely carved on one face with a cat observing butterflies beside a plant and a ruyi scepter, beneath a four character inscription yen nian yi shou, the other face with a goat sleeping beneath a prunus tree and a seated attendant, with a two character oval seal to one side

Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Rosenberg.
Sotheby's New York, 26th November 1991, lot 133.

Good condition
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The subject matter of the cat and butterflies expresses a wish for longevity, whilst the goat, shanyang is the symbol of retirement. The carving on this bottle is particularly fine and can be compared to that found on a bottle attributed to Li Junting in The Crane Collection, www.thecranecollection.com, no. 147, and on three further bottles also attributed to Li Junting, from The J & J Collection, illustrated by Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle: The J & J Collection, New York, 1993, Volume II, pp. 654-8, nos. 402, 403 and 404. The largest group of glass overlay bottles, attributed to Yangzhou, can be identified by the thin layer of single or multi-colored glass carved over a milk-white ground, such as the present example. Approximately one third of this group also bear inscriptions which are often a reference to the subject on the bottle, sometimes occurring with the artists' seal.

The inscription may be translated as: 'Prolong the age and benefit one's longevity,' followed by a seal, Zhenshang (Treasured and appreciated).